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Too Close For Comfort
The Scentless Flower In a rather modest circular room, painted a dark brown with blue accents across the doors and furniture were two individuals. These two individuals were situated in the office of one of 's most important individuals: the . "Welcome, Dǎiyí." A woman, who stood near the open window spoke. "Please take a seat." Her authorial voice echoed in the room with a sense of calmness about it. All the man could see in front of him was a woman's ebony hair waving in the wind, complementing her tall stature. The woman turned around. Her deep purple eyes and accentuated features pierced through Dǎiyí's, as her simple striped black suit indicated professionalism. This was the woman regarded as the Head Ninja, Satsuki, one of the greatest in all of Kirigakure. "Ah, yes. There's tea for you on the bench. I've added my own touch of camellia fragrance. Even if smelling camellia proves difficult, the taste will be absolutely lethal, I ensure you." She chuckled, sitting on her desk and facing towards the man. "I congratulate you on your recent accomplishments, Dǎiyí. You have managed to isolate a portion of the Black Queen's forces based on our limited information. You have even determined the identity of Shūgetsu Hōzuki as a subordinate of the Black Queen, which allows us to infer Suīduki Hōzuki as a part of the organization as well." Satsuki picked up her cup and took a sip of her tea, her face momentarily grimacing. "In any case, your current directives are to continue on the leads you have been given and investigate other possible leads through espionage." Satsuki's face lit up with a small grin. "You are now permitted to leave. Hope you enjoyed your tea." Dǎiyí, taking a small bow, proceeded to exit from the building and walked down the stairs. As he did, the woman's eyes peered to the window. They glared at Dǎiyí with a furious intensity, clearly with intentions unbecoming of a loyal Kirigakure ." Every completed mission was a step closer to discovering her. The source of Kirigakure's suffering and a potential solvent of one of the village's biggest political issues. The multiple faces Dǎiyì exhibited allowed him to act on both ends as he successfully approached his goal. However, the Head Ninja's praise gave Dǎiyì great happiness. A reassurance that his progress was both noticed and appreciated. He almost teared at the thought of Yuriko not being able to witness it. Yuriko, wait for me, I'll tell you all about it.. The streets of Kirigakure were darkened with a light mist, a rare occurrence that Dǎiyì noted. Ending a great day with nice weather. He thought. The village slept peacefully, with crime seemingly taking a break for this momentous occasion. 'Unfortunately, Dǎiyì found it impossible to focus on the happiness within. Instead, a silent whisper repeating closer... haunted Dǎiyì's consciousness. It was almost like the Black Queen stood in front of him all this time. But his lack of the finest details attributed to his failure of using the smallest connections to bridge her identity together. It tormented the young Shinobi, filled him with regret and anger. "Every day I fail to locate her," Dǎiyì reminded himself "another family will undergo my suffering and torment." His parents often stated that the heavens gave Dǎiyì the shoulders to bear the sins of humanity and suffer for all eternity. And Dǎiyì welcomed the mission wholeheartedly. However, he found it funny that he cared so much for humans, for they were the source of the evils. From constant torture as a child to the selfishness and greed fueling drug and human trafficking, humanity was it's spark. Yet...I'm willing to sacrifice it all for them. Dǎiyì pondered. "Why am I being so negative today, I should celebrate!" Dǎiyì started towards a late-night bar he frequented. Tonight he wore his usual green kimono tied with a dark sash which held his unique blade in place. Dǎiyì's lavender iris's were sharp when compared to the dark rings around his eyes. And when combined with his trimmed eyebrows, he appeared angered and slightly annoyed. He also kept his brown hair short and hanging loosely, including a single ponytail reaching the small of his back Within the reaches of the light mist was an almost inhuman figure, coated in black, watching the man congratulating himself while it stood silent, just outside of the man's peripheral vision. Without any warning, the entity's arm rose. Cloaked in black, its masked gaze and arm aligned their target: Dǎiyì's heart. In that instant, needles drowned in a colorless liquid shot out from the entity's arm. They shot at a remarkable speed, with all three of them converging to the Hunter-nin's heart. As they shot towards Dǎiyì, the inhumane figure moved with almost equal swiftness, travelling behind the needles with refined speed. Its footsteps were nearly silent, blending with the mist as a hidden blade was drawn from its sleeve, with the intention of stabbing Dǎiyì from behind through his abdomen. "Not so fast!" Dǎiyí roared, attempting to dodge the numerous needles fired towards his heart. Dǎiyí stepped sideways, causing the needles to miss their lethal target. He quickly pulled the needles from his shoulders and arm, grabbing the wound tightly. "You're going to fucking pay for that!" Dǎiyí threatened. But the puppet had already disappeared from sight, reappearing with a blade flying towards Dǎiyí's stomach. As one of fastest shinobi alive, such an attack should have meant absolutely nothing to Dǎiyí. But the world seemingly inverted itself, twisting, turning and trembling before him. Shit, the fucking needles were poisoned. Dǎiyí thought. The Hunter-nin managed to keep his balance long enough to step sideways once more, leading to the puppet's blade impaling his side. Dǎiyí quickly leapt forward, drunkedly swinging Jiāotǔ Mèihuǒ in a foolish hope of causing damage. But the blood lost combined with it's poison, resulting in Dǎiyí fainting. The night time atmosphere suited her mood perfectly. With the recent chain of disappearances, very few people wandered outside when the sun fell over the horizon. Thus, she had almost no distractions from other unsightly individuals, a fact that coexisted with well known sociopathic demeanor. Then again, that had faded with time under the tutelage of the previous Mizukage, to the point where she maintained a neutral demeanor verging on boredom. Though she would occasionally snap at individuals just to keep them on their toes. Such was the way of the Daemon of the Mist, otherwise known for her bloodline connection to Demon of the Mist. While Aisaka, would have preferred to wonder through this appropriate light mist for the duration of the evening, her tranquility was disturbed by the roar of an individual up ahead, who grappled with some hooded being in dark clothes. She then heard a thud as one of them fell before being dragged away. Curious about the occurrence, Aisaka decided to tale them, while secretly glad that something broke her boredom spell. Taking care to practice the basic principles of silent killing and using the mist as a natural covering, Aisaka followed them at a distance through the streets of Kiri. The black puppet was successful in its mission. Without paying attention to its surroundings, it initially began dragging Dǎiyí across the concrete. However, a sudden chill down its body forced it to change its tactics and subsequently lift Dǎiyí up. Placing his stomach on its shoulder, the puppet ran with great speed towards its destination, slipping in through the shadows and mist to avoid being seen by others. Finally, the puppet reached its destination. It was a musky old door connected to an abandoned building, with overgrown plants spiraling across its faded blue color. The puppet jumped through the third floor's window in a single leap, in the process ensuring no further harm came to its prisoner. After entering the hideout-like area, the puppet bound Dǎiyí within several chains that were lying in the room. Both of his legs, arms and across his torso were bound, leaving only his face free. From herein, it left the proximity, seemingly attending to its superior that might have been in the vicinity. If Aisaka was surprised when the puppet suddenly sped up, she didn't show it, her bored masquerade showing no signs of apparent emotion. Taking care to not disturb the surroundings, she sped up in tandem with puppet, her footfalls not leaving a single utterance of sound. She was slightly impressed by the beings strategic usage of the mist and shadows to avoid being seen and heard by others, but didn't allow it to phase her as she watched a gloomy complex arise in front of the two. Pausing to survey her surroundings, she watched the hooded figure disappear into a third floor window with the unconscious man thrown over its shoulder. Aisaka gave the being a few minutes extra while she decided what to do next. She already had the location, but she didn't want to risk being caught by that hooded figure. Though Aisaka hated waiting, she figured it would be the best course of action to minimize the likelihood of her being seen by that individual. "Come on...Give it to me...Give me it all!" Saliva pooled out her skeletal mouth as she kept her tongue out. She panted, heaving as she begged for the only thing she could recognize. The only key to unlock her doors while releasing waves of euphoria. Her emerald eyes had deteriorated into nothingness; an absolute abyss where a soul once occupied. Her voice was rasp, almost attempting to allure the visitor to his death. The bitch furiously rubbed herself, as if it would wash the filth and unforgettable sins away. Meanwhile, the young shinobi watched the horrific scenes with soft lavender eyes. His face remained pained yet hopeful that she would suddenly emerge, leap into his arms and weap while begging for forgiveness. But as she rubbed and rubbed,the lavender eye'd shinobi understood that the innocent heart he grew fond of was no longer existed. And only his lack of swiftness was to blame. Perhaps had he ran faster that night, her savior would have reached in time. The only retribution the failure offered was his cold blade piercing her warm flesh. Absorbing it's heat until she was a lifeless doll in a pool of blood. The scent haunted him...but became an addiction and fuel for vengeance. "Shit!" Dǎiyí half-consciously spat as he attempted to sit up. Unfortunately, he found that chains kept his body suppressed, and struggled without success. Rather than case too much noise, I'll need to figure out what the hell happened. Dǎiyí breathed deeply, attempting to recall his lost memories. A cup of tea from a superior and a sudden ambush during a peaceful walk home. Too think this happens after Satsuki-senpai congratulates me. It almost made him chuckle. Either way, that bastard poisoned me with the needles and took the opportunity. To think I'd let such a stupid plan succeed...But they've made an even bigger mistake keeping me alive. A pained grunt Dǎiyí's vicious grin. Leading to him realizing a rather large bloodstain on his hip. Those bastards ripped my Kimono...They'll fucking pay. Let's see if I can get some attention. "Hey, you fucking cheap bastards! Whoever you are, I'll rip your tongue's out and feed it to each other!" Aisaka's minute pacing was interrupted by a sudden outflow of sound from the third floor window, where she had seen the puppet enter. "You think he would have the mind to keep his mouth shut and figure out a comprehensive solution," Aisaka thought, surprised to be the rational one in this regard. Then again, she had long since entered into a hunter-nin state of mind, where speed, secrecy and silence were rewarded with success. While part of her wanted to scope out the duration of the complex in front of her, she had initially hesitated on the grounds of being discovered. Granted, with the ruckus that the captured Kiri-nin was creating, such a strategy was proving quickly pointless. Utilizing the necessary hand seals, Aisaka created four water clones, sending two to either side to run the circumference of the building before entering it at various points. "Stick together," Aisaka mentally commanded as they all shot off with effortless precision. With that completed, she turned her attention to the window once more. Deciding that the clones would give her time to commence the rescue mission, Aisaka scaled the side of the building before dropping in the open window. As soon as she touched the floor, she came face to face with the now conscious lavender eyed shinobi. Part of Aisaka was tempted to chastise him for making her job harder, but her still lurking sociopathic demeanor prevented the former from doing so. After all, rescuing him was enough a break from her typical uncaring state; then again he was a valuable hunter-nin, know that she saw his face and began to recognize it. The man's name still eluded her however, so she set to work on investigating the chains. Much to her satisfaction, they were the typical fare, meaning a skillful sword user would be able to break them apart with ease. Her inspection now finished, drew her sword. The beauty of the mist, or as her enemies referred to her, the demon of the bloody fog. Dǎiyì recognized Aisaka when she suddenly emerged from an open window. And for once, he actually felt relieved when a kunoichi snuck into his room submerged in moonlight. Dǎiyì refrained from yelling, fearing alerting the guards assigned to his cell. "Aisaka-chan, how did you find me?" He asked, completely ignorant to the open wound deep in his hip. His lavender eyes examined the famed kunoichi as she approached. Hmph, she's actually pretty attractive compared to the rumors. Dǎiyì chuckled as various conversations resurfaced in his consciousness. Hair bathed in the blood of enemies and a forked tongue used to feast upon the flesh of fallen; Dǎiyì feared crossing paths with the Demon of the Hidden Mist. However, the Phantom of the Hidden Mist realized she was the exact opposite of his perception; which made Aisaka all the more dangerous. As innocence was the greatest disguise an assassin could master. Either way, Dǎiyì finished ogling Aisaka and averted his attention as he focused on the chains binding his arms. "I've no idea on who the hell did this. But I suspect it involves the leader of those syndicates I've been investigating ." Dǎiyì sighed. "Their leader should be around if they've taken such a bold action." Rage filled words as his lavender eyes sharpened towards the exit. "When I'm free, get out of here. I don't want you to get involved with this...These criminals are inhuman monsters who are absorbed by greed and corruption." It was at that point the name came to her, or at least the epithet that he used; Phantom of the Mist. With that recognition came his name, one that Aisaka chided herself for forgetting; Dǎiyì. "Well, let's just say you didn't go quietly when that hooded figure captured you, and you caused a ruckus when you regained consciousness. You're lucky the guards didn't decide to check on you and decide to extract info from you. Considering your compromised state," Aisaka grinned in response, the first response in a while from the usually stoic kunoichi. Her rose eyes examined the wound as the faint smell of blood reached her nose. Her eyes followed the fragrant smell to its source. "And you expect to battle them in that condition?" Aisaka said, faint amusement coloring her voice as with a simple set of slashes she severed the chains, her swings the epitome of poetry in motion. With the breaking of the final chain, Dǎiyì was free to move about once more, allowing the open wound to become much more obvious to its possessor. "So a crime syndicate decided to capture one of the hunter-nin's most visible members," Aisaka yawned, sinking into her bored state once more. "Really, you expect me to leave...." she wondered aloud, her voice pleasantly dangerous. The sociopathic nature that lie under the skin stirred as a warning to the individual she had just freed. It was clear she would be more than happy to partake in a bloodbath, particularly one of her own design. Dǎiyì stood immediately and ripped the left sleeve from his kimono before tying it around his opened wound. The stickiness from the blood caked cloth sent shivers through his spine, however, it was her backhanded remark that caught his attention. "Although I'm grateful for your assistance, please remember who you're speaking with. I'd sooner bite my tongue and swallow before revealing the slightest secret." Regardless, Dǎiyì spoke while his sharpened lavender eyes focused on fixing his kimono. Thoughts soon swarmed his mind. Abducting a captain openly while wasting the chance of killing me. Then bringing me here despite previous failed attempts to extract information from Hunter-nin. Someone important is here...And they want me to find them. Dǎiyì looked towards Aisaka and smiled while grabbing his blade off the stone floor. "They left my sword here...Aisaka-san, thank you for your concern. But regardless of my condition...Something's here and I have to find it." Dǎiyì, who usually enjoyed an endless bloodbath, worried more of the mysteries behind this incident. Especially while wounded, he lacked the slightest idea of the culprits identity, let alone their manpower and weaponry. So Dǎiyì sighed, reluctantly accepting her help. "Fine. Usually I'd suggest we split up but..." Aisaka seemed to separate into three different bodies for a second. "I can feel the poison still taking it's course. So I'll rely on you for a little bit. Unfortunately, I have no idea about this manor..But I'm able to fight. If the situation turns grim I want you to escape. The information we'll learn will be crucial in this war." Dǎiyì started towards the door as he tied his sword to his waist once more. The Phantom and the Demon both earned their dangerous reputations. Dǎiyì felt the strong, intense murderous sensation she radiated; which opposed the nonexistence presence surrounding Dǎiyì. An emotionless being whose enjoyment of murder resembled a machine. Aisaka nodded at his final statement, noting that such important information would need to find its way back to Kiri authorities, even if she wasn't a particular fan of the leading figure head. "Splitting up won't be necessary, that has already been done," Aisaka stated while watching Dǎiyì teeter slightly before righting himself. Satisfied that he had managed to reorganize his belongings, Aisaka continued, "At the moment they have remained undiscovered, but how long that will last is good question, considering how unpredictable their behavior has been up until this point. So shall we?" At this her responding grin grew dark and menacing. She quickly adapted to the style that Kiri hunter-nin were notorious for employing. She would have liked nothing more than to begin an immediate bloodbath, but she knew patience was necessary for this endeavor. Her hand held the deadly sharp katana with relaxed ease, ready to let it execute its deadly grace at a moment's notice. So far her shadow clones remained silent though she could feel the inflow of information as they covered the institution's grounds. The fact "W-what?" Dǎiyì stumbled, absolutely shocked at the Demon's resourcefulness and ability to plan ahead. Rarely does Dǎiyì encounter one who values the art of preemptive strikes or even understand their overall importance. Unfortunately, he lacked the necessary time to fully express gratitude and appreciation. Resulting in Dǎiyì immediately marching towards the previously opened window with a slight smirk. "Follow me since, considering my current condition, your support has firmer foundation than mine." He swiftly leapt out of the window before grasping onto a nearby ledge. The manor was a rather large structure compared to surrounding establishments. Something Kirigakure began constructing after Konohagakure underwent major urbanization. And while the mist was thick, resulting in a wet building, it's immense size created a rather menacing shadow. However, Dǎiyì worried little about the aesthetics and obvious political corruption which had given birth such a monument. He focused solely on the task at hand, as shown by his sharpened lavender eyes. "I heard that gambling house on the outskirts got busted by two Kirigakure ANBU.." In the midst of climbing, Dǎiyì overheard a voice that gradually increased in both sound and clarity. Causing the Phantom to halt climbing while they approached slowly. Dǎiyì took a quick peek, identifying the speaker as a a kimono clad, muscular grunt who carried a poorly defined club. The companion also stood within listening range, as he wore traditional clothing alongside a mask. Dǎiyì gave a short glance towards Aisaka before signaling his movement. Almost instantly, the Phantom shimmered into nothingness and reappeared behind both criminals. His right hand moved gracefully as he drew the golden , Jiāotǔ Mèihuǒ, and lunged the blade into his opponent's chest. Without wasting a breath, he followed by dispatching the accomplice using a simple extension that pierced her forehead. His actions were done with impeccable speed and precision, resulting in both corpses hitting the ground simultaneously. "Shit...This wound is interfering with my performance." Dǎiyì spat before looking towards Aisaka. Within but an instant, there was a crackle of electricity that could be heard from the men's chests. They were not ordinary men, they were technological constructs, puppets designed to lure and weaken the ANBU in question. And without fail, they would manage to do so. The sparks grew louder and from the corner of the room, hidden from plain sight, was another, smaller, man who sent two towards the crumbling puppet bodies. With a single hand seal, he detonated the seal, causing both puppets to simultaneously create a localized explosion that intended to further weaken both the ANBU. Given that he was undoubtedly perceived, the younger man began to run through the hallway, before moving to his first available right in order to hopefully confuse his opposition. Aisaka balanced on the windowsill of the room Dǎiyì had just infiltrated. She had arrived in time to watch see him easily dissect his two opponents, making any assistance on her part unnecessary. With those two neutralized, Aisaka focused on the influx of information that her shadow clones were giving her. As expected, this building was rather immense, with one of the clones estimating that between all of them they have covered maybe 60% of the entire holding. She sighed before noticing that the two deceased people had begun sparking; it appeared they weren't people after all, but rather puppets. As Aisaka was about to inform Dǎiyì of this revelation, she saw a localized explosion emerge from the puppets. The result of something being thrown by a retreating figure. "Shit," Aisaka thought, as she landed noiselessly in the room. "Are you ok Dǎiyì?" Aisaka asked, concern in her voice. It simply wouldn't do for him to be injured at such a time. Meanwhile, one of her shadow clones had entered that portion of the building, almost running smack into the retreating man as he turned the corner. With practiced ease, the shadow clone pinned him to a wall, her blade placed against his neck. "And where do you think you're going?" the shadow clone murmured sweetly, pressing the blade harder, knowing the man had to swallow at some point. The explosion caught the infamous shinobi of the Hidden Mist off guard, especially considering the closed proximity of the flames. Dǎiyì, who managed to throw himself into Aisaka, sufreed from minor wounds that would prove troublesome later. His scorched kimono revealed burned skin underneath. However, he managed to climb onto his feet while seemingly ignoring the aching pain coursing within. In fact, the anger he felt for whoever caused this drowned out the pain exponentially. Instead, Dǎiyì clenched both his fist and tightened his jaw while growling. "I'm going to kill them." Yet, his threat fell short when he stumbled. Regardless, he appeared to decline Aisaka's offer for assistance and proceeded forward by using the wall for support. "Thank you, Aisaka-chan. I'm alright but I won't be able to say that for whoever I find." Dǎiyì took a deep breath and focused harder on the concentration at hand. Luckily, the triumph cards that had become apart of him were kept in a scroll on his person. Only Jiāotǔ Mèihuǒ rested at his hip, a beautifully crafted sword whose golden hilt shined brightly in the glimmering moon. "The bastard went down there. Which means whoever's in charge should be close." Dǎiyì turned to Aisaka and smiled. "Allow me to go ahead. In this state, I won't serve as proper support." Without awaiting her response, Dǎiyì increased his pace onwards. Prepared for any future tricks or traps that might randomly appear. Aisaka had been about to share the information that she had just received when Dǎiyì continued forward without listening, something that just caused her to shake her head in an exasperated manner. "I, or rather one my clones caught him," she said as she caught up to the rapidly moving man. Despite his injuries, he still managed to move quickly, something that Aisaka was lightly impressed by. So this is the Phantom of the Mist, he's more durable than I expected, Aisaka, noting the prior explosion's power despite only a single explosive tag used. Using the directions that her shadow clone gave her, they navigated the halls until they found Aisaka pinning the man against a wall. She knew it was luck that her clone and the man had run into each other, something that Aisaka gave thanks for before sliding into her Demon persona. "So, what do we have here? A little morsel of a fish trying tricks to survive two sharks. Such a shame that he ran into a third." Aisaka stated, her voice was filled with dark malice. "What to do with you...killing is too quick, too painless for such an individual as yourself." Her smile darkened further, taking on a demonic/dark angel ensemble. Dǎiyì seemingly ignored the sadistic taunts Aisaka used to terrify the foolish shinobi. Perhaps if his body had not just suffered multiple assassination attempts, he would be enjoying himself as much as she seemed to be. But Dǎiyì only cared to escape this hellish manor and end one of the people responsible for the pain tainting Kirigakure. This desire caused him to call forth a kunai which he used to mercilessly stab into the amateur assassin's throat. "Let's take a break." Dǎiyì offered silently, resting against a wall while beginning to examine his wounds. The green kimono he favored had rips and scorched patches littered across its torso. The imperfections revealed the minor wounds and permanent scars that covered Dǎiyì's person. "I hate being unable to fully survey an area..." Dǎiyì started. No longer needing the clone, Aisaka dissipated her. She then frowned at what Daiyi did, before sitting cross-legged on the hall floor. "How come you had to ruin my fun?" she asked, wondering what his response would be. At his statement she shook her head, "you should have opted to use the clone technique as well, it would of allowed for more ground coverage in a shorter time. After all, it is only the two of us." She then eyed the amount of wounds and scars that Daiyi possessed, some of which matched her own from previous missions. "That's quite the collection of battle scars and trophies you have there." Aisaka added, leaning her head against the wall while continuing to examine Daiyi's tattered kimono. It was a wonder that it had managed to survive that blast, though it was probably a good thing, for Daiyi's sake anyways. A Day of the Past "You see that idiot?! He wants to be a shinobi yet he can't even perform proper ninjutsu. Fucking loser!" A raven-haired boy roared in a midst of a group filled with a variety of children who laughed alongside him at the lavender eyed child across the field. "My father says the teachers only let him join because he's excellent target practice." They pointed fingers and taunted the brown haired child as he sat alone practicing calligraphy. Although he appeared completely unfazed, the words still hit their mark and left deep punctures. However, he attempted to ignore their taunts by focusing on the strokes of his brush. He drew a variety of ancient characters using a disciplined wrist. "He moves with elegance that far surpasses kids his age." Superiors who witnessed his handwriting would note. "As expected from a child of the Zou. Although they've remained indifferent to politics, they have retained their military strengths and combat oriented prowess through secret exercises. I've talked with his father and it seems our little Golden Flower has already mastered the Transformation Technique on his own." "Why doesn't he apply himself." "He lacks motivation. Without a desire or purpose, one can never reach the potential embedded within. But when he discovers his reasoning for life, the young Cáo shall surely reach heights thought unachievable." Regardless, these words of kindness never reached the young Cáo who lacked a dream. They believed him unable to perform ninjutsu, yet he had mastered the transformation technique in secret. He only found applications for external approval foolish and useless. Either way, he continued his strokes with an emotionless face. Each flick of his wrist was a line of emotions imprinted upon the page, like the strikes of the sword carving into his opponent. "Stay away from her!! Do you understand how dangerous she is?? She's a monster." the genin said as they passed the young girl. Despite her age, Killing Intent rolled off her in waves, warning any would be conversation away. Her smile was that off pure sadism, scaring many of the adult jōnin who had heard of her exploits. "She's just like him, are you sure they aren't father and daughter?" one jōnin asked another passerby. "Nope, the relation is strictly uncle and niece, though apparently the whole family is like that. It's a wonder that they haven't brought down Kiri's fortunes yet. If anything, their unhinged nature could bring down our man power, as those two have shone." At that point the girl turned her gaze towards them, scaring the two off. "What fools they are. They don't know how lucky they are to be alive." She was tempted to end them for speaking ill of her beloved uncle and family, but chose otherwise, returning to her brooding state causing her Killing Intent to lessen to quiet levels. "Given time, I think she could become one of our strongest shinobi, the only thing is to focus that anger of hers. Do you think she'll ever get over those sociopathic tendencies?" However, getting along was not among her desires, the only thing that calmed her was the a battlefield soaked with the blood of her enemies. Dǎiyì felt the cold, freezing radiance the raven-haired beauty emitted from nearby and decided to truly observe the source. He heard rumors of the girl when students decided to take a break from torturing Dǎiyì. They called her a monster's seedling, a demon, and even the spawn of Yama himself. However, Dǎiyì never truly understood the reasoning for their harsh words towards her. Although words between the two were rarely spoken, he found her aloofness and preference for isolation rather pleasing. It reminded him that regardless of the popular opinions of humanity and social structures, one could enjoy their own company just as much as the presence of others. Regardless, this miniature admiration was not enough to get the child of lavender eyes to actually approach her. Instead, he continued his unique style of writing which consisted of his families ancient language. Much like his own name, Dǎiyì was fluent in both the language of the shinobi nations and that of the country his clan originated from centuries before. Although they spoke normally to outsiders, only their ancient linguistics were spoken within their confines. His father often told him that the Cáo created a language whose strokes were adopted into the current language. They spoke a language created by swordsman who utilized motions that reminisced a sword. So to truly master the sword, one must master the art of communication since speaking and fighting were both methods of transferring meaning. With these words in mind, Dǎiyì wrote various words that appeared as gibberish to fellow students but seemed vaguely familiar to adults. The prototypes of words used currently such as sword, love, and death. Alongside a special name that would become the motivation adults often complained about him lacking. It would be the presence of a penetrating stare that would cause Aisaka to turn and follow it's source. Surprisingly, it led to the boy that she had heard being ridiculed and teased by his fellow classmates. Perhaps the one thing she noticed about him was the level of serenity he projected; he was clearly at ease being on his own, isolated by his classmates and his own volition. Part of her was curious about approaching the lavender eyed boy with the tussled brown hair, yet something kept her back. It could have been her sociopathic state, in fact, that was what most would assume it was. In actuality however, her decision to keep her distance stemmed from her decision to respect the boy's solitude. She could send a kindred spirit of sorts, one that caused her to smile, even if its appearance still seemed menacing to other passerby. If nothing else, she respected a person who understood the joys of solitude. All of that social interaction was overrated anyways in Aisaka's opinion. Satisfied, Aisaka turned back, returning to her brooding state as she pondered her late uncle's fall from grace and unceremonious death. At least the Konoha-nin who defeated him had the decency to give him a proper burial, though she really wanted his sword back for her purposes. Part of her reminisced how he would let her play with it, impressed that she was able to hold it and wield it albeit clumsily. In his eyes, it was a sign that she would be a strong kunoichi, one that would surpass him with time. The fabled Executioner Blade had become a heirloom in Aisaka's eyes, and she felt that it would only be proper that it was wielded by a Kiri-nin once more, not some second rate ninja from some inferior village. Considering she didn't know the exact location of his burial, the girl continued to brood. To any brave passerby, she looked from all appearances as if she was plotting someone's murder, causing them to scurry away quickly. A Grim Reality For what could have been an endless amount of time for the two captives in this large area was but a moment or so for the perpetrator of this entire incident. After carefully leading them into the small alleyway that was the only option for the duo, a sudden trigger from their steps would cause an inconceivable number of to rain down on the duo from the entire distance of the alleyway, making escape next-to-impossible. "Before all else, a shinobi's primary concern is the success of the mission. Even if they must sacrifice their own life to ensure others survive." Words echoed in the consciousness of the assassin who dedicated his life to darkness. Elevating throughout the ranks of Kirigakure in such a short time would have been impossible for one who failed to understand this haunting concept. "To ensure the prosperity of Kirigakure, one must understand the importance of a sacrifice for the greater good. However, how can one sacrifice their life if they fail to understand what the greater good actually is?" His voice continued to haunt the assassin who saw the world turn slowly around him. The individual senbon gleamed in the moonlight as they gradually passed various windows. To the lavender eyed demon, he could count the senbon three times over before adding them to the beats of a hummingbird's heart. But this phenomenon meant nothing compared to the ghostly words circling around him. "The greater good is not one particular object or ideal. Instead, It is whatever drives your sword into the heart of your opponent during battle. It is a key that unlocks the untapped reservoir of power you subconsciously hide...However, your life..." The greater good... Dǎiyì thought to himself. Out of all the lessons that old geezer taught me, this'd be the one I'll remember... Memories of the warm sunlight caressing his cheek as he sat and watched his grandfather speak brought a smile upon Dǎiyì's visage. You never told me what the greater good even means. But I have an idea.. A surge of power circulated from his abdomen and into his legs which released a force that propelled him forward. Resulting in Dǎiyì grasping Aisaka and covering her body with his own person while the senbon flew towards them both. The needles caused blood to splatter across the floor yet he uttered not a whisper. Instead, silence befell the two ANBU who was now wrapped in a light embrace. The lavender eyed captain smirked at Aisaka before stepping back "Are you alright?" He asked softly, gasping at the immense pain burning from behind him. "These bastards are going to pay...I swear I'll slit every throat in this building." Aisaka mind returned to the present only to see hundreds of senbon heading in her and Daiyi's direction, the number proving too much to counter with sword play, particularly on such short notice. It was the action that Daiyi pursued however that took her by surprise, as he tackled her to the floor while taking several senbon needles in his back, almost making him appear as a porcupine. The action shook her to the core; after all, she had spent the majority of her life pushing people away through various acts of intimidation and word of her exploits. Any who persisted despite this were met with her sociopathic temperament, an act that was normally sufficient for sending them away with the rest. Yet, here was a person that despite all of that persisted in getting to know her better, before protecting Aisaka. As a fellow hunter-nin, she knew that Daiyi's motivations most likely had to with the success of the mission, yet the embrace was still a shock to her system and world-view. When the danger had passed, the embrace was broken, allowing her to stand once more. The smirk on the captain's face sent further ripples through Aisaka's system, manifesting itself as the smallest of blushes on her face. Her sociopathic demeanor finally pushed back though with a vengeance, who does this guy think he is, some kind of superhero who flies through the sky saving "damsels" in distress? Aisaka thought, as she brushed herself off. She effortlessly played off her blush earlier with some light sarcasm. "And you plan on doing so while in that condition? In case you haven't noticed, your back makes you look like a porcupine," Aisaka noted, raising an eyebrow. She walked over to where Daiyi stood before inspecting his back; as she stated, it was littered with senbon. "I'm going to pull them out," Aisaka stated while ignoring the ripples of Daiyi's well-muscled back. Not waiting for answer, she began plucking a incredible pace, discarding the senbon of the floor. "Thanks," Aisaka said, not elaborating further; Daiyi would know what she was thanking him for. Dǎiyì was truly shocked at the lightening of her visage, perhaps causing the assassin to blush himself. To think a sociopath could actually be so pretty underneath those maniacal impulses. He joked mentally, ignoring the stinging sensation of the senbon embedded in his back. "You should move on-" A sharp pain interrupted the assassin and halted his attempt at jerking away from Aisaka. It was abrupt enough to stop Dǎiyì from halting her advance, which allowed her to quickly remove the needles from his back. They were fired to wound instead of kill..." He noted. ''Whoever is behind this is fucking with me. His jaw locked at the thought of someone actually bringing Dǎiyì through hell. Suddenly, an enigmatic darkness stretched outwards and covered the room in two obsidian feathered wings. A presence thick enough to easily cause spectators to choke on an indescribable fear. Phantoms seemingly shimmered in different directions, each stretching wings of their own. Yet this sensation seemingly vanished as quick as it had appeared when Dǎiyì took a step back. "Listen, if things get too dangerous...I want you to escape. I'll do my best to cover you. That's an order." Aisaka smirked, "Right...and leave you all by your lonesome so you can die like some tragic hero in a Shakespearean tragedy? As if. Come on martyr, we have some people to pay back in full." At this her smirk turned maniacal once more. Yet, there was a difference; while part of this energy/intent had been aimed at Daiyi, it was now focused solely on their perceived assailant. The fact that her life had been momentarily threatened angered her greatly, enough to cause her daemonic persona to surface once more. However, the fact that a fellow Kiri-nin had been gravely injured in the process only added fuel to the fire; perhaps that small act had begin the process of revealing Aisaka to be not as callous, cold, and unforgiving as she normally portrayed herself to be. If anything, a change may have slowly taken root within her heart, not that she would admit it to anyone, nor reveal it outwardly. With this change in mind, she began walking further down the alleyway, her sword at the ready in case there were any more nasty surprises in store. The hallway remained silent however, almost disturbingly so; her clones remained mimicked this silence, though she could feel the in flow of information as they continued their surveillance of the area. "Are you coming brooder? Or are you planning on remaining there pondering the meaning of life?" "It is too late for the both of you." A deep, muffled voice echoed as a concealed figure in nothing more than a black cloak and mask. A katana dripped in crimson blood was at the figure's side. The floor screeched as it was dragged across, as if the pain of its countless victims were present in this floor. Despite the figure's sudden appearance and the disadvantageous position its enemies were in, it stood still, as if it were taunting its opponents, goading them into a false hope before crushing them in their entirety. Three ravens circled in a never ending dance above the manor. Their sharpened caws echoed throughout the darkened skies while each followed one another; seemingly bounded to the specific area, almost commanding the threads of fate to bind in an prophetic manner. Kirigakure had various legends revolving around the obsidian birds who flew so elegantly. Legends which, depending upon whose lips spoke it, foresaw endless years of suffering brought by death and anguish. Of course the wary and cautious avoided these malicious birds in a futile attempt to avoid destiny while others simply embraced death with a heart filled to the brim with fear. However, there existed a child whose loneliness lead to him embracing their presence, even if it meant suffering. As there could never be a hell more torturous than a life of solitude and isolation. In response, these evil creatures obeyed his heart and fell under his command. And so, they circled their master to assure his return home. Almost as if commanded by an unseen authority, Dǎiyí lunged forward and pulled Aisaka towards him after grabbing her hand. Meanwhile the demonic aura which overwhelmed the previous vacuum caused Dǎiyí to unconsciously tighten his grasp. "Who are you?" He barked while swiftly analyzing the area for potential methods of immediate escape. Although his body ached and his mind was flooded with thousands of questions, Dǎiyí exhibited a certain tranquility found only in those who have already embraced death. Yes, while he desired to escape the hellish manor intact, Dǎiyí wished to gather enough information for Aisaka to bring to the Mizukage. And so, he appeared completely unfazed by the sudden appearance of this enigmatic monstrosity Aisaka was further shocked when Daiyi pulled her back, his hand folding over her own in a quick grasp that tightened as the presence made itself known. She didn't know how to comprehend Daiyi's hand with her own. Particularly as he held her closer. Perhaps what she most interesting was his level of tranquility despite the danger that stood in front of them. Unconsciously, she drew strength from it, while also feeding of evil's own whims. Her lips curled into a smile, one that possessed nothing more than malice. It was the equivalent a fallen angel watching the destruction of heaven. The expression was equal parts serene and horrifying; a true clash of interests. "Do you really think so?" Aisaka asked, her voice laced with venom as her demonic aura compiled around her. There was nothing remaining of the blushing kunoichi from earlier. If looks could kill, this would be an excellent example of it doing so. "Go," she communicated telepathically to the clones, who exited the various parts of the building as silently as they entered. Before long, they were lost in the folds of the night as they sped towards Kiri with the information they possessed. With no regard for Aisaka's clones, the figure sheathed its katana. Its masked eyes locked onto Daiyi and stayed there. The figure bent its knees slightly, positioning itself in an aerodynamically favorable position before dashing off towards its target. It closed the distance in a blink of an eye, and the being's right hand was already clutched onto the hilt of its sword, intending to slice through Daiyi's head with a single slash, and thus extinguish his threat forevermore. Aisaka was faster however. That stance was mildly familiar, and with it her instincts kicked in. Her own katana appeared at will, one possessing nasty properties; the Kuijin. A smile crossed Aisaka's face, one laced with demonic intent as her Iaidō knowledge appeared. With a slash of her own Aisaka's sword pressed against the blade that had come millimeters from Daiyi's head. "And what do you think your doing?" Aisaka murmured sweetly, her blade's acidic side-effects presenting themselves as it wore its way through the would be killer's weapon. "And here I thought we were all getting along. Silly me," Aisaka continued as her sociopathic demeanor reared it's ugly head. Anyone who looked in the rose eyes would know that hell was coming their way. Come on, get the fuck out of the way! Dǎiyì commanded, albeit unsuccessfully, to his body with hopes of evading death. The idea of falling inches away from the truth he ruthlessly sought lit his blood aflame. But when he attempted to close his eyes in acceptance, a bark resonated within and roared A demon should never die as a coward would!. This revelation forced Dǎiyì to face the reaper with a damning smile which transformed into befuddlement when Dǎiyì realized that he had been mistaken on who stood before him. Aisaka, whose bravery shamed Dǎiyì, stood in the presence of death as a guardian. "A-Aisaka..." He stuttered in a strange mixture of embarrassment, gratefulness and attraction which was followed by a growl shortly after. He immediately clapped and flicked his wrist; from which a kunai, conjured from nothingness and without a lost in momentum, rapidly soared towards the mysterious woman's neck. "Thank you for keeping my head on my shoulders, Aisaka-chan." The three ravens cawed loudly from above the manor as they started to change their formation. They appeared to play with one another without fear of the ominous fog which rolled over the village, engulfing it in a thick silence. Without a sound or visible fear to the sudden interference of Daiyi's sociopathic companion, the assailant's masked eyes observed both Aisaka and Daiyi's attacks were lead towards her neck. With little time to move, the assailant made the decision to duck its head downwards and dash across the space between the two combatants. However, not all was fortunate for the assailant. With the slight contact attained by Kuijin, the mask the assailant wore was taken off to prevent further injury. As the assailant turned to the backs of Daiyi and Aisaka for a final assault, one could see a fair-skinned woman, with light brown hair and fierce amber eyes staring down at her enemies. From the folds of her cloak were dozens of senbon that she grasped with her hands, sending them towards both of her enemies as a final example of her terror: the terror of Maya. And with that, she disappeared, her body hiding within the deepest recesses of the night forged by the organized crime of Kirigakure. Aisaka turned to catch the woman's face, as she saw the fiery amber eyes glare at the two anbu shinobi. When the torrent of senbon came, Aisaka smiled, not phased by the numbers coming her way. Instead she adopted a comfortable stance as they bore on the two. With a breath, she released blast that annihilated the senbon shower. Her grin remained audible as the slash continued on its way through the night. "Hopefully it finds the other target," Aisaka murmured. With the immediate threat taken care of, she turned back to the rather injured Daiyi; it was clear that over the course of these events he had taken quite a beating. Her smile faded with sociopathic tendencies, returning to a facade of boredom. "We need to go," she said, "after all, that woman could have some nasty surprises left in this building, and the information we discovered needs to find its way back to the Mizukage," With that, she went and threw Daiyi's arm around her shoulders, acting as a support; he would definitely feel the injuries of this night in the morning. Category:Great's Play of Words